A Harlem Undertaker Lightens the Funereal Life

By

Steve Dollar

Feb. 27, 2013 9:43 p.m. ET

On a recent morning in Harlem, Isaiah Owens was showing off his replica 1930 Prinzing hearse in front of his Lenox Avenue business, Owens Funeral Home. A final ride in the vintage vehicle is the sort of thing Mr. Owens's patrons come to him for, confident they'll be going out in style. Since founding the funeral home in 1971, Mr. Owens, 62, has become a figure of great respect in the community. His motto: "Where Beauty Softens Your Grief."